On the Land of Kanagawa
by faraway117
Summary: [all char, senru centric][shounen ai]it's the world of swordsmen and kings. rukawa, a lone young swordsman, encounters sendoh by chance...
1. Prologue

_On the Land of Kanagawa_

Prologue:

"Father, please tell us that story again!"

It was after supper, the time of the day when the entire family could finally sit together in the middle of the garden. The moon was only half full, but the stars glittered on the dark drape of the night-sky. He sat with his wife and his two children, eating desserts and sipping at tea. It was then his younger child made this request.

He was in such a good mood so he agreed. It was a period of his life that he was proud of, though he did not do much construction in it. But it was full of brilliant people, full of events that were almost epical, full of friendship and rivalry, love and hate, loyalty and betrayal, joy and sorrow, tears and blood… It was full of a mixture of many things.

"Father? Are you listening?"

He broke out of his reminiscence, and began his narration.

"As you've already known, your father, I, in my youth, had the fame of collecting all kinds of information. Therefore, I was able to acquaint myself with many famous or infamous people with various professions. Once a royal prince came in disguise, and--- "

"Father, please get to the point!"

"Alright, alright. At the time Kanagawa was a land of strife, and on it three countries struggled for domination. The land distribution was mostly similar to the present. To the south of the sea is Kainan, the largest and mightiest of them all, especially after conquering Shohoku years ago. Bordering Kainan is Shoyo, a comparatively smaller but no less powerful country, rivaling Kainan for decades. South to Shoyo is Ryonan, our country, whose northern border is protected by steep ridges of mountains."

"It was the year of seven hundred and nine of the Kanagawa calendar, many rapid changes took place. First the king of Kainan passed away, leaving the throne to his heir Maki Shiniki, who would soon be known for his strength in ruling. Around the same time people of Shoyo welcomed their new king---a genius at war strategy, Fujima Kenji. For two years they were busy, both securing their rule and at the same time scrutinizing each other, and so the people of Ryonan enjoyed relaxed prosperity. The Crowned Prince of Ryonan was Uozumi Jun, who would later become the present king. But the events, or the story, I'm about to tell did not start in the palace of kings, but among the dwelling of commoners."

"Two years after Maki and Fujima ascended the throne, in the autumn of the year of seven hundred and eleven, two youths met for the first time. They were Rukawa Kaede and Sendoh Akira. Commoners they were at the time, though would soon be no longer…"

tbc…

Notes: This fanfic will develop into shounen-ai… If you happened to tumble in by chance, and have no idea what "shounen-ai" is, I suggest you do not go on reading…

As you can see, the setting of this story is AU, with no particular historical facts to base it on. The motivation behind this is simply that, I get a thrill upon imagining the SD boys as swordsmen. :P Hehehe


	2. Chapter 1: River of Yearning

Chapter 1: River of Yearning

Haruko held up a corner of the thick gauze which served as the curtain to the coach they were riding on. Bright sunlight flooded in from the opening, contrasting with the dimly lit space from before with its vividness. Ignoring her friend's mild protests, Haruko peeped out, hoping to catch a glimpse of that young man again.

Her heart fluttered when she saw him riding not far beside her coach. He was sitting straight up on his horse, like a swordsman should; but as always, his head was down, for which she had no doubts that he must be dozing off again. His face was hidden under the attached hood of his frazzled gray cloak, which gave him a dull, almost ailing air; however the long sheathed sword hanging beside him marked him as a swordsman, which was respected and feared by most of the commoners in those days.

Haruko did not fear him. After all she grew up in the house of a general; her father and brother handled weapons daily. Although she was not ordered by her father to study any form of martial arts, she felt quite accommodated to the presence of swordsmen and martial artists. Unfortunately, her lack of fear of the young swordsman did not equal to the assurance of him showing interest towards her. Despite her shy attempts to befriend him, he did not even spare her as much as a glance!

_It's hopeless_; Haruko thought disappointedly_, he'd never notice me, much less to return my affections_. She sat back with a forlorn sigh, and let go of the curtain. As a consequence of doing so, the little space inside the coach darkened to what it was before. She closed her eyes as a dull ache crept slowly upon her heart. When the sweetness of joy upon seeing him faded, what replaced it was a bitterness of disappointment more repelling than pain. Yet try as she might, she could not stop her overflowing feelings toward him. Be it a temporary infatuation or perhaps, just perhaps, a love that would last, she was powerless to redirect its course, ever since that day beside that nameless river.

A few days ago they stopped by a small inn in some small village to rest. The rooms available were limited, so they had to split themselves and squeeze into the small rooms. Haruko, being a lady of high position, was not used to such crowdedness, so by evening she felt she might suffocate if she does not go out and breathe in some fresh air.

She did not expect to find anything interesting in such a small village, but when she sauntered aimlessly through a sparse forest—if it can be called a forest at all—she stopped in amazement when a small river jumped into her view, or rather, the figure beside the river jumped into her view.

There on the bank lay a youth, clad in white, seemingly not much older than she, perhaps aged sixteen or seventeen, sleeping soundly by the river. The rosy twilight dyed the silhouette of his tunic with faint golden and reddish hues, and touched his sleeping face with shades of fuzzy warm blush. For an instant Haruko thought that he must be one of those young gods who laden with fatigue, came down from sky to rest in their leisure.

She did not dare to create any noise in fear of waking him up, but she could not withhold herself from walking closer to him. Stopping at a safe distance yet near enough to observe him clearly, she covered her own mouth: he must indeed be the most handsome youth she has ever seen in her sixteen years of life! His face was proportioned with perfection, his skin was pale and smooth like the finest ivory, his lashes were long and thick, and his hair was dark and silky; he was, in a word, the epitome of her fantasized lover-to-be. Moreover, there was a sword lying beside him. Although Haruko was not experience with swords, but she could still tell that the sword was not of cheap made. She chose to believe that he was an experienced young swordsman, courageous and lively, out here alone because he was on a quest of some sort. Such fantasy made Haruko jovially excited for a moment, then she caught herself and blushed at her foolishness. Yet when she looked at the youth, for a moment she could not stop a strange thought, a thought that almost felt like a presentiment, that this youth would be remarkable, one who would affect the lives of many extraordinary people in no small ways.

Much to her relief, the youth did not wake up during the entire time she was observing him. She had feared it so much that her heart was pumping like a mad rabbit. Feeling as if she had done something unholy, she looked around to see if anyone had seen her.

It was then did the surrounding start to strike her. A pellucid stream meandered through the green and yellow grass, having branched off from the river nearby. Not far from the youth was an old cloak, which looked rather familiar to her, and so when she took a closer look, it deemed on her that it belonged to a member of her traveling group. Of course not everyone wore the same clothes, but there were distinguishable patterns that marked one group apart from another. The people from the escort group had their own distinct uniforms. Her own group generally has brighter colors and more sophisticated styles, because they were all from noble families or the servants of such. Yet when an outsider joined them, his worn gray clothes were just impossible to be ignored within such a freshly dressed group.

_Can it be?_ Haruko pondered at the possibility. She had heard that a traveler had joined them two days ago, but she had not the chance to see him yet---not that she really wanted to. Those days a female was not so eager to expose herself to strangers. However, if this youth is indeed that outsider, she now has every desire to acquaint with him.

She sat down on the soft grass, waiting for the youth to wake up, and at the same time wondered what she should say to him. But as dusk crept slowly away to welcome the darkness of night, and the youth had no intention of waking up, she started to worry. After all, she had never been out alone at night, much less in a forest too! She was inching toward him, thinking of arousing him from his slumber, when suddenly he opened his eyes and sat up. With a swift movement too fast for Haruko to discern clearly, he unsheathed his sword and pointed it at the shocked girl.

"Who are you?" He asked.

Haruko shivered under his gaze. His voice had the quality of crystal clarity and water coolness to it, and although he kept his voice low, it felt like listening to the rippling of a small rivulet bubbling out of frozen ice. His eyes, dark as obsidians, were icy-cold, but they contained such intensity that it rendered them like burning fire beneath a layer of ice. He was an odd mixture of ice and fire---that was what first came to Haruko's mind.

"Pardon me! I did not mean to stir you from your rest." Said Haruko, hoping that she did not displease him already.

A short silence followed. In her embarrassment she tried again, "My name is Akagi Haruko. I'm traveling with the Akagi group that just came to this village… If I may ask, are you also traveling in the same group?"

The youth re-sheathed his sword in one fluid motion and nodded in reply. Then, upon seeing that daylight had vanished almost completely, he started to walk back to the village.

All excitement from speaking to the youth faded, seeing that he utterly ignored her presence. Although it was only midway through autumn, Haruko felt like standing in the middle of the snowing plateau: quiet, alone, and numb with cold. The disappointment pierced through her like a wintry metal wedge. She could not even go into his field of view.

"Follow me," said the youth.

Haruko widened her eyes.

It was a night she could never forget. The sparse trees suddenly looked much more amiable; the winding road became too short for her liking; the crickets chirped in eurhythmic melodies. And the youth's hand, warmer than she had expected, held her own. As if in this darkness, he was the only light that guided her. _He is the only one._ She savored this thought.

Even years later, Haruko would remember that time, a warm hand of her first love held hers, and they walked wordlessly through the dying day.

Still she was unable to know his name when they arrived back at the inn. Her servants were worried sick at her absence, and even sent out a few men to search for her. In the jovial chaos of seeing her back, she did not even catch a chance to say thank you to him before he disappeared into the crowd.

It was not until later did she find out his name. "Oh you mean that lad who joined us awhile back? I heard people call him 'Rukawa'---what a rare name!" Replied the coachman.

"Ru-ka-wa…" Haruko repeated syllable by syllable. _This must be his surname_, she thought, _I wish one day I could be close enough to call him by his forename_.

"That lad, I heard that he joined us due to lack of traveling fees. The head of the escort group agreed to take him in upon seeing his sword. You know how it is, Miss Haruko, nowadays the bandits are not uncommon and our journey is long. An able hand is more than welcome to help out the party in times of need. But I doubt he can wield a sword properly…"

Haruko absorbed the information in, but instantly filtered the last comment out. She saw it with her own eyes: Rukawa was more than a capable swordsman.

"Haruko! Haruko!"

Haruko blinked; suddenly she was back in her coach again. She gave a heavy sigh and smiled sadly at the only other person in the coach---her childhood friend Fujiko. The latter had grown up with her, and together they shared all the secrets sixteen-year-olds could ever have.

Fujiko knew exactly what her friend was thinking, but being unable to comfort Haruko's wounded heart, she chose to start another topic, hoping to diverge her friend's mind.

It was then the carriage came to an abrupt stop.

"What's going on?" they heard the coachmen call out.

Suddenly people were shouting and screaming all around the coach. Without looking out the carriage, the two girls could guess what had happened. The thing they had been dreading for days had come true---raid of bandits!

Ever since they had started this trip, everyone had half expected that the bandits would not overlook them. Haruko's father and brother both held important militarily positions in the Kainan Empire, and with position, came power and wealth. Due to a recent victory in which they had played a large part against Kainan's long time rival Shoyo, the house of Akagi were rewarded a feoff, a small part of what was once the country of Shohoku. Thirteen years ago Kainan conquered Shohoku, and the land became enclosed within the boundary of its conqueror. Haruko's father and brother had already moved there with most of the family servants to administrate their future residence, and now upon the completion of it, they sent a message to Haruko, bidding her to come. Her brother was planning to accompany her, but had to abandon the plan when their father came down with illness. Knowing the likelihood of running into outlawed bandits in their long journey, he paid a group of professional escorts to protect his seraphic little sister. Still, it would be best if the bandits would overlook them.

Haruko grabbed Fujiko's hands, and realized they were both trembling with fear. There were sounds of sword clashing and shouts of pain from both far and near, and each minute inside the gloomy carriage seemed like a century.

But like the night, its darkness would never be perpetual.

Eventually the fighting ceased; the bandits retreated in defeat. The steward of Akagi house came to Haruko's carriage, and asked her to not come out. "It's a sorry sight to bear. It would be better if you are spared of it, Miss Haruko." Then the escort leader came to report the condition of those injured through fighting, and suggested for the group to rest by the riverside for tending the wounded. The steward agreed.

And by the glimmering river, they rested.

tbc…

Notes on the setting: Males are generally referred to by their last name, except by close friends or by family. Females are called by their first names. Also, surname precedes forename when citing full names.


	3. Chapter 2: Leaves of Crimson

Chapter 2: Leaves of Crimson

Ignoring the steward's protest, Haruko walked along the riverbank. Although some severe wounds frightened her, she still hoped to catch a glimpse of Rukawa through the moaning people. Was he injured? Or even worse, was he killed? She had overheard from the conversation of others that there were several deaths, mostly of the escort group, incurred by the bandits. She was worried with grief at the thought that perhaps Rukawa was gone, until she spotted his figure under a red maple tree, perhaps resting, or perhaps sleeping. His gray cloak was still wrapped around him, but a few maple leaves had fallen on his cloak, and with such intense hue of red it almost looked like blood had stained his clothes, had not been the shape of the leaves. Haruko breathed a sigh of relief.

At this point they were still a half-day away from the next immediate town, so it was agreed universally that after lunch they were to get on the road again. Afraid that Rukawa might sleep through a meal, Haruko asked for two bowls of food and took it to the figure still resting under the maple tree.

As she was debating with herself regarding how to approach him without showing her infatuation, the situation suddenly changed unexpectedly---The bandits struck again! This time they were mounted brigands, swift and fierce as ever. Men who were still capable of fighting gathered hurriedly into a half circle, but were soon scattered by the vicious assault. There were only a dozen brigands, but they were all mounted on strong steeds, and evidently skilled with weapons of their choice. On the other side, Haruko's men were more than thrice their size, but were overpowered rather easily. So before long most of the fighters were struggling for their lives, and Haruko could only watch in horror while hiding behind a tree.

She knew if her group had failed, it would be impossible for her to escape the bandits' chase. It was no secret that most outlaws lust after both money and women; she dared not to think what would happen to her and others. She thought desperately, _brother, if only you were here!_

At this point most fighters of the escort group were down either by death or by wound, and the few remaining men seemed so powerless that they posed no threat to the remaining seven bandits. A member of the brigand looked around and noticed Rukawa's cloaked figure, which was silent through all the slaughter. Taking him for a coward who dared not to fight, the bandit picked up a spear and shot toward him in disparagement.

"Rukawa!" Haruko yelled out in horror…and yelled again the next second, but in charmed euphoria.

The spear shot deep into the bark of the maple tree, and the figure that was sitting there a second again, now stood beside the still trembling spear. He threw away his cloak and pulled out his sword. As if peeling away a skin of disguise, he suddenly appeared to be entirely another person, feeble no longer, but shone with razor-edged radiance---bright, sharp and full of strength.

"Was it you who stirred my sleep?" He pinned the bandit who threw the spear with his eyes, glaring daggers at him. Surrounded by falling crimson leaves that danced upon his hair, his shoulder, his feet, and contrasted with his snowy-white tunic, he seemed almost inhuman, like a spirit of nature, beautiful yet deadly.

The accused one was shocked for a moment at the sudden change in appearance, but one look at the lean youth, he laughed and answered to the youth's question.

"Yes, I did. What, were you asleep through all this chaos? You've got some guts, kid! It seems you've some quick reflexes, wanna---"

"Be on guard." Stated the youth flatly.

"Sure, but what can a pretty boy like you do to me? Do you really think you can beat a man twice your size? Ha ha---"

His laughter was cut short suddenly. The cold sharp edge of the youth's sword had already touched his throat.

"I can." He heard the youth say, and that was the last thing he ever heard.

The remaining six bandits encircled Rukawa, who in turn looked back at them expressionlessly.

A gentle breeze blew past the short grasses by the riverside, and all was in silence. Suddenly the brigands were in action, two of them charged their horses toward the youth, aimed to kill. But Rukawa was evidently the more superior one when it came to swordsmanship, and with a few swift slashes of his sword, one horseman was down. Seeing this, all five charged at the same time. If they could not gain victory by skill, then they would do by number. No matter how extraordinarily skilled were the youth, he was only one, and they were five.

Rukawa snorted lightly, but made no attempt to move. He simply waited for the right time. For the second time today, he raised his sword. The air around him seemed to intensify.

And he glided.

Not physically gliding, but that was the only word that came to the bandits' minds. The youth's movement was so smooth and fluid, as if a gust of wind was blowing through them, aiming for every imperfect flaws there existed in their own techniques and postures.

To Haruko who was watching worriedly at a distance, Rukawa's movements were too fast for her to see clearly. She simply saw an ambiguous white silhouette whipped through the brigands, and all five horses fell, leaving the riders on foot. But ground-fight was surely one of Rukawa's virtues, because with every two or three slashes a bandit would fall. Within a few minutes there was only the leader standing, and wishing to retreat in fear of death. Rukawa re-sheathed his sword, not wishing to do more damage than what was needed.

Just as the leader of the bandits was starting to leave, a wave of music drifted to the ears of those who were still conscious. It was getting nearer rapidly, and soon a boat came into sight. It was a relatively large boat, and as it sailed closer all could see that it was constructed with delicacy and beauty. Haruko was used to seeing such fanciness, but Rukawa was not. He was fascinated by such extravagance of the boat. The leader of the bandits saw his chance, and with renewed hatred and anger, he charged his sword towards Rukawa's chest.

Had Rukawa not been distracted by the boat, he would never be wounded by such a simple move. But he was distracted, long enough that when he felt the air of danger, he was only able to dodge slightly. The glance of sword cut his left shoulder. He frowned as the pain kicked in, but before his enemy could pull off another move, he own sword had struck deep into the heart of his opponent.

Blood oozed out from his wound, leaving scarlet stains on his white tunic, but he would care less. Wiping his bloody sword on the nearest cloth he could find, he re-sheathed it again, looking as indifferent and reticent as ever, standing among the dead and the wounded.

Where should he go now? He wondered. He had no desire to stay with this group any longer, since most of them eyed him with fear. Also…

"Ru…Rukawa, you're still bleeding… Would you let me tend your wound?"

He turned his head at the shy voice, seeing a girl with a familiar face, holding some medicine and bandage timidly.

He remembered her, but at the moment he had no desire to attend his wound. Instead his attention was still fixed on that boat, which was passing by him very soon. _This is it! _He thought. Wasting no time, he ran to the bank of the river, leaped high into the air, and landed, exactly, on the deck of the boat.

The boat swayed a few times at the impact, but stabilized eventually. He looked back at the riverbank, seeing the girl who had offered him medication ran toward the boat and shouted something, but the passing wind and the increasing distance swallowed her voice.

He shrugged. He did not even know her. _I owe them nothing now,_ he thought._ I've just repaid their hospitality._

"Hey friend, what business brings you here?"

Rukawa turned around at the gentle voice, and saw a youth not much older than himself came into view from the boat's cabin. He was dressed in layers of fine embroidered silk, as well as some ornaments laced with precious gems, but most strikingly, his hair was fashioned as pointing upwards. Yet to Rukawa, the most important thing was that the newcomer also wore a sword beside his waist.

"I'm not a friend." Rukawa finally replied. "You're responsible for this." He pointed at the wound on his shoulder.

The other gaped at him with utmost confusion, "How so?"

"Distraction." Rukawa answered as simply as possible.

After a moment of silence, the other youth finally understood that Rukawa had no intention to explain further. So he lightly cleared his throat and tried again.

"I'm Sendoh Akira, the owner of this little boat. I don't know your intentions, but if you're just looking for a place to tend your wound, you're welcome to stay, so long as you don't damage any of my properties. Would this be reasonable?"

Rukawa nodded. Seeing there would be no more trouble, he started to inspect his wound.

"Excellent. Now would it be possible to know your name? But if it must remain a secret, you don't have to tell."

"Rukawa."

Sendoh watched amusedly as Rukawa ripped a strip off the bottom of his tunic, and clumsily tied it around his left shoulder. He waited until the other was finished and asked, "If you don't mind me asking, what's your forename?"

Rukawa frowned, but complied with the request, "Kaede."

"Rukawa Kaede… Nice name." Sendoh laughed, " 'Rukawa' means 'flowing river' in the ancient language of Shohoku, and 'Kaede' means 'maple'. How befitting of the current scene!" But seeing Rukawa's annoyance, he toned down his smile. "You wouldn't happen to be an apprentice of Master Anzai Mitsuyoshi, would you?"

Rukawa stared at him: _How did he know?_

As if he could read Rukawa's thoughts, Sendoh replied, "I'm an apprentice of Master Taoka Moichi, who is an old acquaintance of Master Anzai. Surely you have heard about him from your master?"

The young disciple of Anzai blinked several times, trying to recall this name. However, as he was digging through his one-tracked memory, he found something else. He remembered a year ago his master Anzai had leisurely talked of the name "Sendoh" as a talented young swordsman, whose skill could surely rival that of Rukawa's. At this recollection Rukawa's eyes blazed with belligerence.

"One-on-one!"

This time it was Sendoh who had to blink in confusion. Seeing this uninvited guest armed himself with a sword, several thoughts raced in his mind. He had heard from Taoka that Rukawa was the youngest and the most gifted apprentice of Anzai, so he was looking forward to meet him, perhaps to befriend him, or to rival him. In a split second he resumed his smile and answered, "I accept your challenge, but I won't fight you in your injured state. If you will lend me your trust for a moment, follow me and I'll apply some medicine to hasten the healing of your wound."

Rukawa looked at him curtly, then he lowered his eyes. By now Sendoh had figured out that Rukawa Kaede was a faithful follower of laconism, so he took the silence as a sign of approval.

"Come with me," said Sendoh, and into the cabin they went.

Along the riverbank outside the boat, falling leaves of maple trees danced in the refreshing autumn wind.

tbc…

Notes: Cheers! Rukawa and Sendoh have finally met, and the famous quote "one-on-one" is out too! Hehehe


	4. Chapter 3: Yacht of Melancholy

Chapter 3: Yacht of Melancholy

As daintily crafted as the outside, the inside was indeed no less delicate. But when Rukawa stepped into the cabin room, it became apparent to him that there was more than just the fancy elegance of physical settings. At the opposite side of the rosewood table, sat a young lady. No one who had laid eyes upon her could deny her beauty and grace, but her eyes alone told astuteness too unexpected from a lady of mere twenty.

"This is Miss Aida Yayoi. Her family controls the river transportation in the southern part of Kanagawa."

Rukawa bowed slightly toward her to show acknowledgement, as she nodded at him with unaffected grace. After giving Yayoi a brief account of their encounter, Sendoh went to a corner and fetched strips of soft lint and a small container of vulnerary.

"May I?" He offered, and after a moment of hesitation, Rukawa acquiesced.

"I hope both of you wouldn't refuse a small melody?" Yayoi inquired politely, looking at Rukawa alone.

Not wanting to let Rukawa's silence offend Yayoi, Sendoh took the liberty to answer for both of them, "we would welcome it gladly!"

Smiling at Sendoh, Yayoi deftly placed her fingers on the strings of a zither, the body of which was beautifully carved from white sandalwood, seeping out its distinct gentle fragrance. As a soothing melody filled the room, Sendoh began to dress Rukawa's wound, while Rukawa examined the cabin room with newfound curiosity. This was the first time he had ever been on a roofed boat, not that he ever traveled far on boats. In fact, where he came from, there was hardly any river wide enough to hold a craft as large and luxurious as the one he saw today. Rather than water and boats, he was more accustomed to mountains and horses; rather than luxury and sophistication, he was more accustomed to simplicity and guilelessness. However, as he beheld the construction of his surroundings, he had to admit, though only to himself, that beauty was indeed a universal language shared by complicacy and simplicity alike.

He was entirely unaware of Sendoh's dexterous hands bandaging him until the latter gave a light cough. He looked down at his left shoulder and saw that it was bandaged much more neatly than what he had done a while ago. He nodded at Sendoh in silent gratitude, at the same time he noticed that Lady Yayoi's soft melody had come to an end.

"You're very welcome." Replied Sendoh, understanding his guest's unspoken words. Then turning to Yayoi, he praised her adroit skill with the instrument, and offered to pour a glass of sweet wine in sincere appreciation.

"A charmer you truly are, Sendoh." Yayoi hid her grin behind the crystal wine glass.

"To put myself in the service of beauties is a pleasure in itself." Sendoh laughed, lightly brushing the comment off. Glancing sideways, he saw Rukawa nodding his head into sleep, so he proposed an entertainment. "Rukawa, have you heard about the legend of this river?"

Rukawa shook his head, blinking at Sendoh blearily.

"Don't fall asleep yet---the sun is still high!" Sendoh patted at Rukawa's shoulder, none too gently. The latter was jerked back into consciousness, and as soon as he was fully awake, he smacked Sendoh's hands away loudly.

"None of your business," Rukawa grumbled darkly.

Sendoh massaged his pained hand and shrugged, "not if I make it mine." As tolerant as he was, he could not suppress a trace of annoyance surfacing his usual poised posture.

That remark earned him a heated glower from Rukawa, to which he returned a smile that did not reached his eyes and heart. For a brief second the air between them seemed to intensify to crackles of lightning, and an awkward silence filled the room temporarily.

Yayoi watched amusedly as a bystander, having no intention of coming between the two. The air was so intense that she could swear she saw streaks of lightning crackled between the two young men. _It was as if watching a sharp dagger colliding with a stream of water, and neither can overpower the other._ She thought, sipping slowly from her wine goblet in the midst of an uncomfortable silence.

Sendoh was the first to unlock their gaze, and as soon as he did so, his smile regained its original glow. "Please pardon my impertinence, I meant no offense." He bowed slightly.

Surprise and confusion passed through Rukawa's eyes, but the taciturn youth soon recovered his aloofness. Nonetheless he felt that he was partly at fault, so he gave in to Sendoh's earlier intention, "what of this river?"

Sendoh watched as Rukawa shifted on his seat for a more comfortable sleeping position. "If you insist," replied Sendoh, "I'll try to be brief."

"Years ago, when Shohoku was still a sovereign country, there was a great general named Yazawa. He excelled in both physical combat and arts of war, and thus for four years he successfully defended the northern borderline of Shohoku. Regrettably, as he grew in power and fame, he also grew conceited and stubborn. When the Kainan army harassed the borderline, he refused to take in his advisors' suggestions of conservative strategy, but took a high risk in taking impulsive actions. He lost an important battle, which crumbled the Shohoku kingdom a great deal. Seeing his failure and the impact of it, he lost the will to live and committed suicide beside this river. In the next decade Shohoku was not able to regain her previous prosperity, which enabled Kainan to come down from north and invade Shohoku. They say that the spirit of Yazawa flows within this river, yearning for another chance to revive the general's once thriving country…"

"Sendoh," Yayoi interrupted him. "What was once a country is now a territory of Kainan. You should perhaps be more selective in your choice of words while we're in Kainan's territory."

Sendoh smiled, stealing a look at Rukawa, he replied calmly, "What do I need to worry about? I trust you with my life."

Yayoi glanced at Rukawa and saw that the latter had already fallen into a deep slumber. She breathed a sigh of relief and smiled sweetly at Sendoh, "you would trust a great many people with your life, Akira."

"Not so, milady." Sendoh shook his index finger at Yayoi, "I value my life, therefore I trust very few. You're the most special one among them, of course."

"Then I am honored," said Yayoi softly. _I hope you were speaking the truth, Sendoh Akira. Yet even if you weren't, I can't let you go…_

"No, the honor is all mine." Sendoh stood up and bowed, "it is truly a delight accompanying the most beautiful lady of Ryonan."

"That would be a blatant flatter," laughed Yayoi.

"Quite the opposite; that was an honest remark." Replied Sendoh. "Yesterday you spoke of Akagi's relocation…" He trailed off, waiting for Yayoi to catch onto the topic.

Yayoi nodded in agreement, her expression turning serious. "It is now no secret that the Akagi's have already moved into northern Shohoku. However it's quite curious why Kainan would bestow them a fief there, of all the places. What do you think of that, Akira?"

"Either it's a demonstration of augmented trust or it's a warning against possible betrayal. I think I favor the latter."

"I do too. Although the Akagi's had fought dutifully at the Kainan-Shoyo border, they'll never gain the complete trust of Kainan because of the fact that he had once served under the country of Shohoku." Yayoi curved up a side of her lips scornfully.

"That would be the usual conception. Still, putting Shohoku into the Akagi's hands is highly risky, no matter how you look at it. Kainan's Maki Shiniki is a conservative ruler; it's hard to believe that he would make such a risky move."

"Perhaps the pros outweigh the cons---lately there were a few uprisings in southern Shohoku, maybe the Akagi's were used to suppress them?"

"I think Kainan would worry more about the possibility of the Akagi's joining forces with the rebels." Sendoh tapped his fingers lightly on the surface of the rosewood table, his smile faded as he submerged in deep thought.

Yayoi shook her head. "Politicians---what a complicated bunch."

Sendoh heard and smiled. "Surely, the merchants are no less intricate in their mind structure."

Yayoi grinned, showing her pearly white teeth, "well, aren't we a match?"

"In intricacy of mind? I surrender to the daughter of the most successful merchant in Ryonan."

Yayoi held his eyes for half a minute, but could read nothing from them. Those dark eyes were as unfathomable as the bottomless sea.

She lowered her eyes, letting a tinge of gloominess touch her heart. Then sweeping it aside, she answered, "you flatter me, but I'm only living in the glory of my father. Aside from that, I'm only a collector of the information that happens to cross my path. You on the other hand, are an analyst of information, and that marks us apart sufficiently."

"Without keen judgment the business would not flourish. Presently you're managing half of your family's trade, and looking at the flourishing business, I think that says enough of your ability."

"We're becoming slaves to otiose etiquette." Yayoi smiled. "I'm sure you'd be more interested in hearing Shoyo's news."

"You can't be talking about the terrible fever that Fujima Kenji, king of Shoyo, had caught days ago?"

"So ill tiding travels fast. But did you hear the possibility of his fever being a result of poisoning?"

"That's monstrous news," smirked Sendoh, at the same time his curiosity was roused. "By who and, how?"

"Words are that it might be Minami, can you believed it?" Yayoi lowered her voice.

"Minami Tsuyoshi from Toyomata Clan?" Sendoh frowned when his questions received an affirmative answer.

The Toyomata Clan usually travels around the border region of Shoyo, sometimes into Shohoku. The members of clan were infamous for creating bizarre and mostly ferocious poisons. Those who were unfortunate enough to taste their poisons would be completely at their mercy, until the specific cures were given. However, it was also said that they could remedy all poisons, no matter how exotic, as well as possessing precious rare medicines that would cure even the most heavily wounded. Still, owing to their vicious reputation, they were feared universally across the land. Their current chief, Minami Tsuyoshi, was feared even more due to his unsurpassed talent in designing poisons and curing them.

"Why would Minami poison the king of Shoyo?"

"I suppose only Minami and his victim would know. But if Shoyo's king wants to live, he'd have to make peace with Toyomata and ask for the remedy."

"True. But what I'm most interested in is, how did Fujima, the sly manipulator, manage to put himself in disadvantage in his confrontation with Minami?"

"Why do you have the impression that Fujima Kenji is manipulative? People speak of him as sovereign of benevolence and grace, whose cleverness could only be rivaled by his beauty." Yayoi feigned a dreamy look, "it was said that before his smile, both men and women alike would fall under his charm."

"You make it sounds like he has some kind of enchanting magic spell," laughed Sendoh. "But I believe those people fell for him only because you weren't there."

"What do I care about those people?" Her smile faded. _The one I care the most do not care for me, _she thought mournfully, but let nothing show on her calm composure. "Family business keeps me busy, so I'm leaving the marital selection to my father."

"Your choice." Sendoh shrugged. "How is your father? And your brother Hikoichi? I haven't seen them for almost a year now."

"They are both well. If you change your mind and go back with me to Ryonan, they'll be overjoyed to see you, especially Hikoichi."

"Perhaps some other time, Yayoi. I wish to travel around more before Master Taoka catches me again." Sendoh held Yayoi's hand for a brief moment in apology, but the latter smiled reassuringly at him.

"I knew once you have decided, no one can make you change your mind." Yayoi shook her head lightly, and let the subject pass.

That evening they parted by the river.

"I'll wait for you in Ryonan, Sendoh." Said Yayoi, reluctance showing in her eyes.

Sendoh's smile faded. "Don't wait for me, Yayoi." He said. But Yayoi had already headed for the cabin. Her graceful poise was maintained so perfectly that Sendoh wasn't sure whether she had heard him or not.

Floating on swift current, the boat sailed out of sight before long.

tbc…

Notes: orz… It is highly likely that this fanfic will be more than 10 (or maybe even 20) chapters…


	5. Chapter 4: Trees of Persimmon 1st part

Chapter 4: Trees of Persimmon 

"Rukawa, do you have a planned destination?" Asked Sendoh, turning his attention back from the departed boat.

Rukawa shook his head and gave a sleepy yawn.

Sendoh sighed in defeat. "You've been sleeping ever since you stepped in my boat; haven't you had enough?"

"No," Rukawa replied, raising one eyebrow at the questioner. "The boat, was it really yours?"

"In theory, it is." Sendoh grinned. "It was given to me by the Aida family as a birthday present, but I'd hardly ever used it. Instead, Miss Yayoi seemed to develop a fondness of it while traveling by water for her family business; it might as well be hers."

Rukawa yawned again, "fondness of the boat? Fondness of the owner of the boat is more likely."

Sendoh couldn't resist to give a short laugh, "didn't think you were the nosy type."

"I'm not." Rukawa shot him a cold glance.

"If you say so." Sendoh shrugged, "I'll be traveling west towards Shoyo. Where are you headed?"

"Nowhere in particular."

"So you're just wandering around the land?" Sendoh eyed the other strangely. A skilled swordsman at such a young age, roaming freely at his will... Seeing Rukawa nod at his question, not at all embarrassed at his rash remarks, Sendoh grinned: why not take him along? A partner in traveling won't be bad at all...

"If you don't have a particular destination, how about traveling with me? I'm going to westward to Shoyo." Sendoh offered.

Rukawa thought for a short while, and nodded in agreement.

It was getting dark, the nearest town was Takezono.

To the two newcomers, Takezono is a small town buzzing with culture. No matter if it's the attire, the equipments, or the buildings, everything is different than what they were used to. However daily activities had already seized since it was already night, so they stopped by a small inn for lodging.

"You're lucky," the storeowner told them, "there's still one room left."

"Only one?" Sendoh asked, a bit surprised at the flourishing business this small inn has.

"It's the festival time of the year," the owner answered as-a-matter-of-fact, "many tourists would come from places near and far from our town."

"How could I have overlooked this!" Sendoh exclaimed, chuckling at his own ignorance. "It's the Festival of Seven Twilights, right?"

"Right! It's the custom of our town that these seven days are what the Goddess of Clemency had blessed us mortals with. In the light of these days, love or friendship can be found or renewed, brotherhood or sisterhood can be forged or strengthened, and enmity or hatred can be resolved or lessened. We are at the last two days of it."

"What? There's only one more day left?" Sendoh felt disappointed.

The owner laughed and replied, "be glad that there's still one more day left! You can try to wake up early and go to see the sunrise tomorrow---many young lovers will be confessing their love to each other, bathing in the twilight of the rising sun."

"That would be interesting indeed!" Sendoh was quite excited by this piece of news. "Thanks, we'll now take the room."

"So you're actually going?" Rukawa frowned. He has no problem with getting up early; in fact he was very much used to getting up before sunrise, practicing his sword under the first streak of light of the dawn.

"Why not?" Sendoh sat by the table, sipping at a cup of jasmine tea, which was a common refreshment in this particular town. "It sounds interesting, doesn't it?"

"You have no lover to confess to." Rukawa pointed out.

"What does it matter? We're here to entertain ourselves, to see a world different than the one we lived in." Sendoh shrugged carelessly. "Besides, didn't you hear that 'brotherhood can be forged'? We can just pretend to have forged a pact of brotherhood..." He paused upon seeing Rukawa's obvious distaste, and smirked devilishly, "Or of course, we can pretend to be lovers..."

Rukawa raised his eyes upon Sendoh. But unlike what Sendoh had expected, he examined Sendoh like he was accessing the quality of a merchandise. It was Sendoh who grew uncomfortable under his silent action.

"You wouldn't make a very believable girl." Rukawa finally concluded.

Sendoh cracked open a laugh, but in truth he was at loss of how to react. "I never planned to," he managed in the end, then gaining back his wit, he retorted, "in fact, you might be more fitting in a woman's clothes than me." Taking another look at Rukawa's cold eyes, he feigned a sigh and shook his head, "no, your eyes are too sharp, and your build is too tall..."

Rukawa's eyes warmed a little.

Sendoh continued on, "but if you soften your facial features, perhaps..." He stopped abruptly: what was he trying to achieve? Saying Rukawa could pass for a woman would be an offensive and untimely remark.

"Never mind." He grinned brightly at the other. Pointing at the bed, he changed the topic, "Let's resolve this problem instead---who should take the bed?"

Indeed they were fortunate to catch the only available room in the inn, but there was a problem---there was only one bed. It was designed to be single bed, but two might squeeze onto one.

Rukawa glanced at the bed, "you can take it."

"And where will you sleep?"

"On the bench you're sitting on right now."

"How is it possible to sleep on this?" Sendoh was taken aback by the answer.

"I could, but it'll be uncomfortable." Rukawa stated as-a-matter-of-fact. "Or on the floor."

"We're on the first floor, which means the ground will be damp and cold at night. On the floor is not a good idea."

"Then what do you suggest?"

Sendoh eyed the single bed for a while and proposed, "suppose we try to squeeze into that one bed?"

Sendoh stared at the back of the Rukawa's head in frustration. He was not used to feeling another's body heat pressed against him; where he grew up, he never had to share a bed with anyone. Stiff with discomfort, the desire to toss and turn on the bed intensified, especially when he had to give consideration to Rukawa's sleeping state. In the end he tried to shift slightly to adjust himself into a more comfortable position, which in truth was non-existent for him. After some time-he wasn't sure how long had passed, it could have been minutes, though to him it felt like hours-he gave up and started tossing on the bed, trying to stay in that little share of space he had.

This of course aroused his bedmate from sleep. Without any forewarning, Sendoh felt an obtuse pain resulting from the other's elbow connecting with his stomach.

"Ouch!" He groaned in pain, "what're you doing!"

"Death to those who dare to..." Rukawa grumbled sleepily. Sendoh waited, but the sentence simply trailed off to silence.

"Hey, Rukawa!" Sendoh poked at Rukawa's back. Since he can't sleep no matter what, there would be no reason that the reason why he couldn't sleep could sleep so soundly.

Tbc...  
Sorry I haven't updated in a long time, but the truth is I wasn't sure how to continue... The next few chapters will (or should) focus on senru, but I need to think about how exactly sendoh and rukawa will develop their relationship. Most likely the next update will be during summer vacation--- forgive me please...

p.s. in this part senru slept on the same bed... potentials potentials ;p


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